Neighbourhood watch: While officials spied on Toronto terrorism suspect, locals kept an eye on the officials

Canadian terrorism suspect Raed Jaser under surveillance for months

TORONTO — The house rented by terrorism suspect Raed Jaser was under around-the-clock surveillance for many months, but the agents or officers were not very discreet about it; many neighbours were watching the watchers, they said.

Chiheb Esseghaier, the younger of two men charged in the al Qaeda train plot, is a Tunisian-born PhD student at a Université du Québec nanotechnology lab who was threatened with expulsion for his disruptive behaviour and strict religious views that alienated his colleagues.

One colleague at Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) in Varennes, Que., described Mr. Esseghaier, 30, as “a brainwashed person, basically,” who tore down posters he did not approve of, and pestered the administration to install a prayer room.

“He had very strict religious behaviour that made many people frustrated,” said the colleague, who asked that his name be withheld. “He had problems with the administration.”

His co-accused, Raed Jaser, 35, is a Palestinian born in the United Arab Emirates, who has permanent resident status in Canada. Search warrants were being executed Monday at his home in a Toronto suburb, where neighbours said they have seen a group of young men in traditional Muslim garb weightlifting.

‘‘If I was outside, or getting into my car, he wouldn’t even say hello. He was a very reserved guy. They kept entirely to themselves,’’ said Sanjay Chaudhary, 47, who lives next door.

“There was an SUV with dark tinted windows parked on the street, all of last summer. We knew they were watching someone, but didn’t know who,” said Soteris Antoniou, 60, who lives four houses along Cherokee Boulevard from where Mr. Jaser rented the back portion of a house with his wife.

“It was there every day. Every day. One car in the morning and a different car in the evening. They would change, like changing shifts,” he said.

One neighbour approached the SUV to ask what was going on. The occupant of the SUV showed a badge and said not to worry, that it was official business, he said.

He did not know what agency the badge was for.

“Once we knew he was legal, we let it be,” said Mr. Antoniou.

“Almost every day when I went for coffee I saw the car, usually with a lady inside,” said Demetre Gavas, who lives at the top of street near where the SUVs parked. He first noticed it in the winter.

His son once asked police about it and was told it was a security matter and not to worry, he said.

Another neighbour said he first noticed the strange vehicles about July.

“It was hard to see inside. It had very dark windows, but it was there 24/7. They were definitely keeping a watch on something since the summer,” said Bipin Gada, 55.

“Once I came to know they were officials, I didn’t worry. It was clear it was from an agency or an undercover cop keeping an eye,” he said.

Several neighbours said an official with Cherokee Public School, near where the SUVs usually parked, also confronted the occupants about what they were doing. The school was told that it was a “government matter” and that the officers or agents were “on duty,” said a neighbour.

Neighbours debated whether the surveillance was by private investigators working on a divorce case or a workplace injury or insurance fraud case. Others thought it was police looking for drug dealers who might be targeting the school.

Despite the concern the arrests and accusations provoke, in the end, said Mr. Antoniou, it was a good news story: “I’m glad they caught the guy. Before anything happened.”